Navajo, Zuni and Hopi silverwork

In the southwestern United States, the Diné (Navajo), Zuni and Hopi peoples have created silver and turquoise jewelry known around the world. Each people has its own techniques, styles and meanings.

Who and where #

The Diné (Navajo) live in the Navajo Nation, which spans Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Zuni and Hopi are Pueblo peoples with their own languages and traditions. Navajo silversmithing developed from the mid-19th century, when Navajo smiths learned silverwork from Mexican smiths and turned it into a style of their own.

Materials and techniques #

• Silver and turquoise, as well as coral, shell and stones such as lapis lazuli or onyx.
• Navajo: casting in sandstone (tufa) or sand molds, stamping and hammered silver.
• Zuni: stone inlay and “petit point” and “needlepoint” work with many tiny stones.
• Hopi: silver overlay, with the design cut out of one sheet that is soldered onto a darkened one.

Traditional pieces and their meaning #

• Squash blossom necklace: a necklace of rounded beads called “squash blossoms” with a crescent-shaped pendant, the naja; its form draws on Spanish-Mexican ornament and it is associated with protection.
• Concho belt: a belt of silver discs; a piece of status.
• Silver and turquoise bracelets: central pieces of Navajo jewelry, with stamping and stones.
• Zuni fetishes: small stone carvings of animals, each with its own meaning and guardian role.

The tradition today #

In many Southwestern traditions turquoise is associated with protection, health, sky and water. In the US, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (1990) forbids selling work as “Native American” if it was not made by a member of a recognized tribe or an artist certified by a tribe. Always ask about the artist and the authenticity of the piece.

See also #

• Silver
• Symbols in traditional jewelry and their meaning
• How to buy artisan and Indigenous jewelry ethically